NameCensus.

UK surname

Tingley

From an English place name meaning "tin-mining wood" or "wood near a royal manor house."

In the 1881 census there were 325 people recorded with the Tingley surname, ranking it #9,194 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 565, ranked #9,091, up from #9,194 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes and Hoathly, West. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Sutton, Horsham and Eastbourne.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tingley is 597 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 73.8%.

1881 census count

325

Ranked #9,194

Modern count

565

2016, ranked #9,091

Peak year

1911

597 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tingley had 325 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,194 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 565 in 2016, ranked #9,091.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 597 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Tingley surname distribution map

The map shows where the Tingley surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Tingley surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tingley over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 196 #10,573
1861 historical 198 #12,114
1881 historical 325 #9,194
1891 historical 432 #8,311
1901 historical 502 #8,032
1911 historical 597 #6,867
1997 modern 533 #8,871
1998 modern 547 #8,975
1999 modern 555 #8,919
2000 modern 548 #8,976
2001 modern 539 #8,936
2002 modern 548 #9,000
2003 modern 532 #9,067
2004 modern 546 #8,906
2005 modern 531 #9,034
2006 modern 532 #9,053
2007 modern 537 #9,057
2008 modern 543 #9,060
2009 modern 560 #9,042
2010 modern 588 #8,923
2011 modern 578 #8,929
2012 modern 552 #9,138
2013 modern 567 #9,093
2014 modern 563 #9,217
2015 modern 567 #9,082
2016 modern 565 #9,091

Geography

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Where Tingleys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Tunbridge, Bidborough, London parishes, Hoathly, West, Worth and Edenbridge. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Sutton, Horsham, Eastbourne and Vale of White Horse. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
2 London parishes London 3
3 Hoathly, West Sussex
4 Worth Sussex
5 Edenbridge Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Sutton 001 Sutton
2 Horsham 007 Horsham
3 Eastbourne 001 Eastbourne
4 Vale of White Horse 015 Vale of White Horse
5 Horsham 001 Horsham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tingley

These lists show first names that appear often with the Tingley surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tingley

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tingley, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Tingley surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Tingley household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Tingley is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tingley is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tingley falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tingley is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Tingley, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Tingley

The surname Tingley is of English origin and can be traced back to the 14th century. It is thought to have originated from the village of Tingley in West Yorkshire, which was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Tingelei". The name is derived from the Old English words "ting" meaning a meadow or field, and "leah" meaning a clearing or woodland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tingley is found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332, which lists a John de Tyngeleye. This suggests that the name was already established in the area around Tingley village by the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in various spellings such as Tyngley, Tyngleye, and Tyngeley, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common in that era. A notable example from this period is William Tyngley, who was born in 1542 and served as a member of parliament for Yorkshire in 1586.

By the 17th century, the spelling had largely settled on the modern form of Tingley. One prominent figure from this time was Robert Tingley (1620-1688), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Warwickshire.

In the 18th century, the Tingley family spread further across England, with branches appearing in counties such as Staffordshire and Gloucestershire. A notable individual from this period was John Tingley (1743-1821), a noted botanist and author of "The Naturalist's Guide to the Environs of London".

As the British Empire expanded, members of the Tingley family also settled in various colonies and territories. One such individual was William Tingley (1792-1869), who served as a colonial administrator in British India during the early 19th century.

Throughout history, the surname Tingley has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, commerce, politics, and academia. While not a particularly common name, it has left its mark across various regions of the British Isles and beyond.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tingley families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tingley surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Sussex leads with 131 Tingleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.81x.

County Total Index
Sussex 131 24.81x
Kent 74 6.93x
Surrey 70 4.59x
Middlesex 19 0.61x
Durham 10 1.07x
Lancashire 9 0.24x
Yorkshire 7 0.23x
Royal Navy 1 2.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edenbridge in Kent leads with 23 Tingleys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1095.24x.

Place Total Index
Edenbridge 23 1095.24x
Camberwell 18 9.00x
Chailey 14 853.66x
Rottingdean 13 722.22x
Lindfield 12 538.12x
Worth 12 313.32x
East Grinstead 11 147.26x
Lewisham 11 19.31x
Eastbourne 10 41.17x
Newington 10 8.65x
Sunderland 10 60.79x
Brighton 9 8.45x
Herne 9 190.27x
Burstow 8 620.16x
Ripe 8 1904.76x
Ardingly 7 416.67x
Croydon 7 8.27x
Horley 7 273.44x
Over Darwen 7 23.58x
Rochester St Margaret 7 62.11x
Sheffield 7 7.09x
Beckenham 6 42.95x
Paddington London 6 5.21x
Wivelsfield 6 291.26x
Bermondsey 5 5.36x
Ifield 5 227.27x
St Benet Fink London 5 3571.43x
Stoke 5 69.44x
Horsted Keynes 4 325.20x
Tunstall 4 1379.31x
Banstead 3 72.64x
Hailsham 3 93.75x
Islington London 3 0.99x
Reigate Foreign 3 18.16x
St Marylebone London 3 1.79x
Tonbridge 3 7.79x
West Hoathly 3 180.72x
Bexley 2 21.19x
Broadwater 2 16.52x
Bromley 2 12.29x
Deptford St Paul 2 2.43x
Hellingly 2 112.99x
Ratcliffe London 2 11.57x
Wadhurst 2 57.64x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.23x
Betchworth 1 53.19x
Caterham 1 14.84x
Chatham 1 3.40x
East Chiltington 1 227.27x
Horne 1 133.33x
Hove 1 4.32x
Kingston Near Lewes 1 769.23x
Lewes St Ann 1 55.56x
New Shoreham 1 31.65x
Newick 1 86.21x
Nuthurst 1 114.94x
Orpington 1 30.58x
Richmond 1 4.68x
Seal 1 58.14x
Southwick 1 35.84x
Sundridge 1 56.18x
Warrington 1 2.27x
West Malling 1 41.49x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Tingley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 24
Elizabeth 14
Alice 11
Sarah 11
Eliza 10
Ann 8
Jane 7
Annie 6
Ellen 5
Emily 4
Fanny 4
Frances 4
Kate 4
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Florence 3
Harriet 3
Ruth 3
Agnes 2
Anne 2
Emma 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Nellie 2
Susan 2
Anna 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elisabeth 1
Eliz. 1
Emely 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Flora 1
Grace 1
Jame 1
Laura 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Matha 1
Matilda 1
Maude 1
Mercy 1
Miriam 1
Nancy 1
Nelly 1
Not 1
Rose 1
Sophia 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Tingley surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 28
George 14
James 14
John 12
Thomas 12
Alfred 8
Henry 7
Edward 6
Harry 5
Robert 4
Walter 4
Abraham 3
Ernest 3
Stephen 3
Charles 2
Ebenezer 2
Moses 2
Arthur 1
Cane 1
David 1
Edw. 1
Edwd. 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Harold 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
J. 1
Jabes 1
Jesse 1
Joseph 1
Joshua 1
Judah 1
Miles 1
Norman 1
Obediah 1
Osborne 1
Richard 1
Thos. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Tingley surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tingley surname in 1881?

In 1881, 325 people were recorded with the Tingley surname. That placed it at #9,194 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tingley surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 565 in 2016. That gives Tingley a modern rank of #9,091.

What does the Tingley surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "tin-mining wood" or "wood near a royal manor house."

What does the Tingley map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tingley bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.